Moonlight Melody
by lolo popoki
Summary: It’s after midnight... do you know where your captain is?


Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of its characters. I do, however, own the haiku. :P

A/N: First off... a note to my Rurouni Kenshin readers. I'm so sorry! Don't lynch me! I hope to get back to my other stories at some point, but I've hopelessly and inexplicably fallen in love with One Piece... Please feel free to ignore this little fic if you're not familiar with the series.

To One Piece fans... forgive my intrusion in your domain! I hope that you will at least find my first attempt at writing in this particular fandom to be somewhat tolerable...

Thanks goes out to SiriusFan13 for reading this over for me, even though she has no idea what this series is about. :P

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**Moonlight Melody**

Written by lolo popoki

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_Moonlight melody_

_Dark waters beckon and laugh_

_Sea... she sings to me_

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_Azure temptation_

_My weakness... in her I drown_

_Her voice, so soothing_

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_Embrace her sweet song_

_Lullaby, enchanting waltz_

_I dance in the night_

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It was after midnight, and Monkey D. Luffy was missing.

If Sanji had not risen to answer nature's call, then they all would have remained clueless to the fact that the pirate captain was not aboard his ship, where he clearly should have been. The morning would have dawned, perfectly normal (at least, normal for _this_ crew...), with Luffy cheerfully stealing everyone's food at breakfast like usual, and no one the wiser to his late-night disappearance.

Glancing at the empty bunk, the cook's immediate response was to curse angrily and race towards his kitchen. He threw open the galley door, expecting to catch the rubber-boy stuffing his face, and ready to deliver a punishing kick to the fridge-raiding fiend.

All homicidal impulses fell away to be replaced by swooning adoration, as the only intruder in his immaculate domain was Nico Robin.

Looking up from her book, the archeologist smiled, sending the smitten blonde into paroxysms of bliss. After several minutes of declaring undying devotion to his darling "Robin-chwan," and listing the ways her beauty surpassed everything else in God's known creation, he finally was coherent enough to recall his original purpose for being in the kitchen that late at night.

Luffy. Where the hell was Luffy?

Robin frowned when asked if she had seen him, and shook her head. She hadn't seen or heard from Captain-san since they had all left for bed.

Sanji sighed and went back out on deck, Robin trailing quietly behind. He yelled his question up at Zoro, who was on watch in the crow's nest, and received an exasperatingly negative reply.

The cook scowled and accused the shitty swordsman of sleeping on duty, which of course led to a shouting insult match between the two hot-headed teenagers.

Zoro (he really had been napping... but that was beside the point) jumped down from his lofty perch, and insults degenerated into all-out war as spinning kicks met unsheathed steel.

The noise woke the rest of the crew, bringing them out in a panic to discover what new catastrophe had befallen them. The gang relaxed, heaving a collective sigh, as they beheld the dueling duo.

Typical. Just typical.

Eyebrow twitching, Nami whacked them both over the head and demanded an explanation for her interrupted beauty sleep.

Zoro grumbled out a peeved, "he started it," pointing at Sanji, while the cook merely waxed poetic over his beloved "Nami-swan," hands clasped together and hearts dancing in his eyes.

The navigator wasn't impressed. After glaring at the two morons for a moment, she turned to Robin, knowing she could rely on the older woman being the only other sensible person on board their ship of fools.

Robin didn't disappoint, calmly informing them of Luffy's mysterious vanishing act.

The pirates sighed again at this news and resignedly split up to search the rest of the ship for their idiot captain.

Bathroom? No.

Storeroom? Nope.

Figurehead? Absent.

Nami's tangerine grove? She would kill him if he was... but nope, not there either.

Sleeping quarters and kitchen had already been cleared, but were double-checked to make absolutely sure.

They checked every square inch of the ship, and the only thing that was found was Luffy's treasured straw hat, which was left resting on his pillow.

Odd... and a bit worrying. He rarely went anywhere without that hat.

After determining that Luffy wasn't anywhere on the ship (and ignoring Usopp's bizarre theory of alien abduction), their eyes turned toward the island they were currently docked at.

None of them were willing to voice – or even acknowledge – the fear that their reckless leader had perhaps fallen overboard...

No. He was on the island. He _had_ to be.

But why?

They'd made landfall earlier that afternoon and had wasted no time checking out their new surroundings. Verdant and peaceful, it wasn't a very large island, only taking a few hours to completely walk the perimeter. There shouldn't have been any reason for Luffy to go back out exploring... especially alone. Adventures were more fun when shared, after all.

Chopper began to worry in earnest, the little reindeer working himself up into a mild hysteria.

During their exploration, they had quickly determined that they were the only humans in current residence, and had actually found nothing more dangerous than a disgruntled flock of nesting birds. It was a pleasant surprise to finally come across a place where nothing, including the vegetation, was trying to kill, eat, or capture them.

But what if there _was_ something out there? something they had missed... and their captain was now in danger?

Grimly ignoring his friends' attempts at reassurance, Chopper ran back inside to fetch his doctor's bag. If Luffy was injured in some way, then by God, he would be prepared!

As the others discussed the best way to canvass the island, Robin made her way to the top of the crow's nest. Wishing to save a little time on their search, she crossed her hands in front of her and closed her eyes.

"Ojos Fleur."

The surrounding coast took sight. Dozens of eyeballs bloomed like so many ghastly flowers to scrutinize the nearby area, and then the Devil Fruit user began to exercise her abilities to extend her search farther out.

She hoped Captain-san was still within her limited range. If not, then at least she would be able to determine where he wasn't.

After several minutes, the woman's eyes snapped open, an expression of surprise on her face.

She had found Luffy. However...

Hurrying down to rejoin the others, Robin indicated that they should follow and quickly led them ashore. Answering their anxious questions with only a small mysterious smile, she guided her shipmates down the beach towards the small secluded inlet she had observed from her vantage point.

As the cove came into view, the pirates suddenly froze, startled breathless by the sight that met their eyes.

Under the pale radiance of the full moon, their captain was dancing.

It wasn't that they had never seen him dance before... but this was a far cry from his usual cheerfully haphazard jig.

Luffy's eyes were closed, his normally lively expression replaced with serene rapture as he swept along the shore. Barefoot and hatless, sable hair fluttering in the night breeze, he leapt and whirled, moving with a lissome grace they so rarely saw from the foolish young man.

Right now, however, he appeared anything but foolish. Illuminated by the moonlight, he was almost otherworldly... an ethereal being, full of light and beauty... Surely this graceful figure couldn't possibly be their idiot captain? The same boy, who only a few hours before, had tripped over his sandals while running on deck and plunged headfirst over the railing, laughing gleefully the entire time?

Though dancing blind along the water's edge, each step was confident and precise, his footing, stable and sure. Toes digging into the wet sand, Luffy spun, body arching and swaying to music that only he could hear.

He seemed to flow with the tide, matching the ocean's pulse beat for beat, surrendering himself to the moon's magnetic pull. The waves gently reached out to caress the boy's feet... a lover's touch, sweet and possessive.

The waters were calm tonight, but the pirates were all too aware of the sea's fluid nature. Ever-changing and unstable, especially out here on the Grand Line, the ocean was a seductive and deadly mistress. She could be gentle and mild one moment, brutal and sadistic the next. Countless men had died after succumbing to her siren's song.

But, they knew that Luffy loved the sea...

Despite having eaten a Devil Fruit and being more susceptible to the ocean's dangers than most, Luffy cherished her. Respected her. Adored her in all her capriciousness. His jealous lover, who once having claimed him would pull him to her depths, selfishly keeping him for herself.

Thus, his friends kept careful watch, entranced yet wary... enjoying the moment, but prepared to intervene if need be.

Head thrown back, arms outstretched as if to embrace those dark waters, the future pirate king laughed. The pure sound rang out through the cove, joyous, carefree, and altogether infectious. His crew couldn't help but grin back in response to that simple expression of delight.

Then Usopp sneezed, causing Luffy to stumble in surprise.

And just like that, the spell was broken. The Straw Hats felt bereft.

The boy spun to face them, his expression disoriented. He blinked a few times and then grinned widely. If he was self-conscious or embarrassed at being caught in the middle of his midnight ballet, it certainly didn't show. But then again, when did their captain _ever_ get embarrassed over anything?

Bounding over to greet his nakama with his usual exuberance, Luffy happily began chattering away, oblivious to their curious eyes. When asked why he was out there dancing in the sand, he responded with a blank look and a simple "I felt like it," and apparently considering the matter ended, turned to his cook and cried, "SANJI! I'm HUNGRY!"

They smiled. Luffy was Luffy, and always would be.

The once calm and peaceful night was shattered as the Straw Hats wound up having an impromptu barbeque out on the beach. Eating and drinking around the bonfire, laughing at one of Usopp's outrageous tales of derring-do, they were content.

Every once in awhile, their eyes would come to rest fondly on their happy-go-lucky captain.

They knew him well by now, having traveled with him this far. They knew his quirks, his mannerisms, his habits. They knew him well, and yet every day he continued to surprise them.

To view the world through Luffy's eyes was to become a child again. Each day, each moment brought with it something bright and new... even the most ordinary of things somehow became extraordinary and magical. To embrace those moments as they happened... to enjoy life to the fullest... This was what joining up with Luffy had taught them. He made them understand that there was no such word as 'impossible.' They knew, absolutely _knew,_ that their dreams would one day become reality if they had faith. Faith in him, and faith in themselves.

After watching his moonlit dance, his nakama suddenly realized... Luffy didn't just love the sea. He _was_ the sea. Boundless and free, unpredictable and wild, he kept them afloat with the ship of his convictions, and carried them onward to their destiny.

And Heaven help those who dared to sail that ocean's fury.

-Owari-

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